Brief Description: Changing the membership of the commission on judicial conduct.

Sponsors: Senators Kline, Hargrove and Carrell.

Senate Committee on Judiciary
House Committee on Judiciary

Background: The Commission on Judicial Conduct has authority to investigate complaints against judges and to hold hearings to determine if a judge or justice should be admonished, reprimanded, censured, or if the judge's removal or suspension from office should be recommended to the supreme court.

The commission is composed of 11 members. Three members are judges selected by and from judges on the court of appeals, superior court, and district court. Two members are attorneys selected by the bar association, and six members are nonlawyers appointed by the Governor.

District courts are county courts of limited jurisdiction. Municipal courts can be departments of district courts or can be independent city courts. Judges of municipal courts can be either elected or appointed, depending on the population of the municipality and other considerations.

Summary: The composition of the Commission on Judicial Conduct is modified to allow one member to be selected by and from the judges of all courts of limited jurisdiction instead of district courts. This would allow a municipal court judge to be a member of the commission.

This act will take effect on January 1, 2006 only if a proposed constitutional amendment to
Article IV, section 31 is approved by the voters.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      88   1

Effective: January 1, 2006